A federal judge has ruled that an insurance company is obligated to defend the ex-wife of serial political candidate Richard Korn in a defamation lawsuit he filed against her.

Liberty Mutual argued that a homeowner’s policy it issued to Magda Korn does not cover her against the defamation and negligence claims Richard Korn filed in state court.

In a ruling Tuesday, the judge disagreed.

The Korns divorced in May 2012.

According to documents filed by Liberty Mutual, the underlying complaint alleged that Ms. Korn took a portable hard drive from Mr. Korn’ s home a month after the divorce and provided it to the New Castle County Police Department, believing it contained child pornography. Police obtained a search warrant and seized Mr. Korn’ s personal computer, which contained more than 25 images of child pornography. Mr. Korn was arrested in 2013 and charged with 25 felony counts of dealing in child pornograhy, carrying a possible prison sentence of 50 to 625 years. He was acquitted by a judge who said prosecutors had not proven that he knew about the images.

Korn, who has run unsuccessfully for state auditor, county executive and state legislature, later sued his ex-wife, claiming she falsely accused him to try to gain leverage in divorce proceedings as well as alleging malicious prosecution, defamation, abuse of process, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.